Defender departs

Southampton Football Club has cancelled the contract of defender Aaron Martin.

The 24-year-old has not appeared for the First Team since the Club was promoted to the Barclays Premier League in 2012, and now moves on to pastures new to seek regular football.

Isle of Wight-born Aaron signed for Southampton in November 2009, having started his football career with local non-league side Eastleigh.

The centre-back went on loan to Conference side Salisbury City during his first season at St Mary’s, making 14 appearances and scoring once before returning to his parent club.

Martin made his Southampton debut in May 2010, starting next to José Fonte in a 2-1 defeat away at Gillingham.

He kept his place for the final game of the season, a 3-1 victory over Southend at St Mary’s, and would make a further ten appearances in the following campaign as Saints won promotion to the Championship.

Aaron started the 2011/12 season as first-choice centre-back, but the arrival of Jos Hooiveld saw him spent much of the campaign as a back-up.

Martin scored his first Saints goal in an FA Cup Third Round victory over Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena, and would notch for the second-and-final time in a 4-1 win over Derby at St Mary’s in February 2012.

With Saints back in the top flight, Martin moved on loan to Crystal Palace in July 2012 but only made six appearances for the Eagles before returning to St Mary’s in January.

He then headed into League 1 with Coventry, where he played 12 times in two months.

Martin picked up a nasty injury in the Development Squad’s friendly against Eastleigh last summer, and only returned to action this month when he appeared – and scored – for the Under-21s in their victory over Bolton last Monday.

Aaron now leaves with the best wishes of everybody at Southampton Football Club as he looks for his next footballing destination.